Another Lightning and Snow oneshot. I really wanted to challenge myself so i wrote about disablities and how they communicate. I remember i use to have a deaf friend on the net, i wonder what happened to him. He was such a great artists as well. :/

I hope i captured Lightning and Snow well.

~midnight

Communication Barriers

She watched as one girl, with one side pony tail on her right played tag with the other children from the orphanage. Another child, who was only a year or two older watched from afar as if she was her mother made sure she wouldn't do anything reckless. She looked back until her name was called by another playmate of hers. She was never use to seeing her sister or her new 'name' She was still a child and at the end of the day she will still need a shoulder to lean on.

She ran and kicked the ball her playmate had kicked to her and the ball flew a few seconds in the air before crashing into the net, causing her team to erupt in joy. She had caused her team to win the match. Over the heads of her team she saw her sister smiling and making her way to her. She placed her hand on her shoulder as her team backed away a few steps from her sister.

Ever since they had lost their parents Lightning remained silent. She hardly spoke, even to her little sister. She didn't have much memories of her father and their mother dies from an illness and to this day, neither of them knew what it was or what caused it. She noticed her sister had to become the parent between them. She even didn't recognise the sister she remembered growing up with.

"Great work Serah." She spoke before leaving her back with her friends.

A soft smile formed on her lips. It was nice to see her sister back, even for a few seconds only.

.XxX.

She watched as her older sister walked onto the platform when her name was called. She knew her sister hated that name but for once, she would just ignore it. She received multiple handshakes from her teachers before greeted with a medal. Right after high school she only had one path in mind to become a PSICOM solider. Now she was alone in school with a few years left without her sister to defend for her.

She was an A-straight student with a major in history and couldn't do what her sister wanted to do. To fight and hurt others but Serah came up with the conclusion that while focusing herself to grow up she had forgotten to care and feel sympathy to others. The student sighed at how she had described her sister but there were no other words. Serah traced back to memory lane and tried to remember the last time her sister embraced her or even kissed her on the cheek.

The applause of the crowd woke her up and cheered her sister as she bowed and walked off the platform. Serah didn't clap though. She felt like she was applauding to a different person she didn't know.

.XxX.

Caring for others was in Serah's blood but to turn it into a career was out of the question. She loved history and becoming a teacher was her passion. She excitedly flicked though the university course book until she reached the education area. Serah smiled as there were at least three to four pages of options she could take on. She grabbed a yellow highlighter from the depths of her bag until her heard a soft knock on her bedroom door.

"Serah." Her sister spoke. Serah turned around in her chair. Serah gasped at her sister's new military uniform.

"Wow, that really suits you sis." She cheerfully greeted. "Never thought I would see you in a skirt though." she cheekily teased.

"I'm going away for a few days on a mission. It's on Gran Pulse." Serah walked to her sister. Standing only a few steps away from her.

"Gran Pulse? Are you sure? Can't you take a break? Your birthday is coming up and-"

"I promise I will be back before my birthday."

A quick embrace was all she got before she watched her sister leave her room and out of the house and onto her newest mission.

Lighting was had only returned home from work two days ago. And to her, seeing her sister for more than a day was a blessing to her after a six-month break. She nearly didn't make it to her high school graduation. Serah turned back to her university booklet and closed the page she was on and lazily tossed herself onto her bed.

She was losing her sister once again.

.XxX.

Serah waited as if she was about to get her test results but under different circumstances. Only a day or two she had received a letter from Lightning's captain, Amodar. Lightning had caught herself in a horrible accident caused by not reacting to a bomb set by NORA quick enough. Serah pondered about the reason, Lightning always responded early or at the right moment. She was never a second late.

Her thoughts cut off when she heard a ruffle on the other end of the phone.

"Is my sister alright Amodar?" The captain, the man in-charge of Lightning's group didn't reply for a second or two. Soon he was able to find the right words to reply.

"Not good Serah." He began. "Your sister has received a serious ear infection while explains her hearing and the doc said that exposing her to the gun shots and bombs isn't helping her condition." Serah tightened her grip on the phone more and more as Amodar continued. "I'm afraid that your sister might be become deaf in a matter of months." Her tears followed. "I have no choice but to pull her out no mater how good of a fighter she is." Serah nodded.

"At least she will be home now. For good."

.XxX.

There she was, in front of her once more. She was home; she was for the last year but Serah still felt alone. Now, even if Lightning wanted to, she could no longer speak. Lightning slowly chopped the carrots before stopping. Her sister's shadow was over casting her. She dropped her knife and slowly turned to face her sister. In her sister's hands was ripped page from one of her notebooks with in capital letters the words,

"I'M SORRY."

Lightning held her tears back and went to hug her only sister tight as Serah hugged her back. Both stayed together for a minute before looking at one another before adding a few actions

Lightning opened her palm and moved it to her side on a slight angle moving it slightly downwards before forming her hand into "A" hand with her thumb showing more than normal, placed her thumb under her chin and moving her hand forward. Then opening her palm and holding it upright and moving it towards Serah's direction slightly and lastly Lightning held her hand on front of her chin in a "Y" format, moving it from the left of her chin to her right.

Lightning knew her sign language wasn't something she was good in so she took the paper out of her hands and grabbed the pen and wrote underneath the words.

"It's not your fault."

And the pen slipped out of her trembling fingers quickly after. Serah reached for sister's hand and placed on Light's trembling fingers and held them there until they stopped. She slipped her hand away from her sister and turned back to the carrots and began to chop each one thinly and using them to pass the time quickly. Serah reached for the booklet in her bag and held out the page on her desired course and stood by her sister.

Lightning glanced right and saw Serah had not left yet. She handed her book and read each word off the page before crossing paths with her sister. Serah received the look of confusion and doubt from her older sister when she saw the path she had chosen. Lightning pointed at the part where Serah had asked her to read and Serah nodded. Lightning flicked through the book and pointed at he word she was looking for.

"Why?"

Serah blinked and reached over for the paper she had written on earlier and wrote her response. Serah held it up to Lighting's eye height.

"So I can look after you this time, and the others that need my help."

Lightning smiled. She always wanted to be a kind heart like her sister but she had lost it early on life to look after the only family she had left. She was happy because at least there was somebody like Serah like her that reminded that what happened to her wasn't that bad.

.XxX.

She rubbed her thumbs against the hard metal that formed and was recognised her medal. One of the many awards she received back in the days as a solider for PSICOM. Her latest mission was to stop the rebel group known as NORA. That was the plan until she was taken out of duty due to her permanent hearing lose. Lying her medal back into its case she reached for her blade that stood alone in the corner of her room. She guided the tips of her fingers down the blade of her blade. Each second that went by her reminded her times in the military came back to her.

She grasped the handle and did a few swipes in the air before returning it back to where she found it. Fixing her face and keeping her emotions in tack she walked out of the room only greeted by her sister and a young blond man. She recognised this man.

It was Snow Villiers. The man that was in charge of the NORA operations she and her team were so against. She recognised the man by photos Amordar gave her on her missions. Lightning raised her fist in the air before her sister stopping her attack. She recklessly escaped her sister's grasp and folded her arms, waiting for her sister to explain.

.XxX.

"Snow, I have a older sister. Her name is Lightning. This is her home, I live here as well."

"Ah, she must be as nice as you then."

"Well, that's debateable."

"What do you mean?"

"You can say she is my rock. Like, literally."

"Oh, that's interesting."

Serah reached out for her notebook with her pen as fast as she could to avoid Snow to receive a blow he couldn't avoid. She held it in front with words that Lightning could understand.

"This is Snow Villiers. I'm looking after him for awhile until his surgery."

Serah handed both her notebook and her pen to her older sister. Light glared at both of the objects for a minute or so before writing her thoughts on it.

"Tell him this isn't a hotel. Get him out of here."

"His place got burnt down." Serah quickly wrote down.

"Not my problem."

"His blind Lightning. After a few months after you left a bomb exploded in the area causing a sharp material to fly into his eyes. But he still has a chance to see again, just give him a month here until his surgery."

Lighting held her hand and opened her palm, held it upright telling her that was enough. She understood her and after all, she was a caretaker for the blind and deaf and Snow, her once former enemy was now a man her sister was forced to look after.

Serah reached for Snow's hand and held it in front of her sister, asking her to shake it. Lightning tightened her fist and walked off. Serah dropped Snow's hand.

"Sorry for that. My sister finds it hard to trust new comers. Especially when they were her former enemy on the battle field." Snow nearly jumped out of his boots.

"Lightning Farron. The woman my team was after. Didn't expect to meet her again like this, under these circumstances." Snow sighed.

.XxX.

She watched as her bowl of soup continued to rotate before looking at the digital clock placed on the right side of the machine. Lightning never liked sitting in one spot, she wanted to be on the move, but now that the only thing she could hear were her own thoughts she couldn't do that. She was stuck at one thing, one thing only until it was done. She spun her chair and looked back at both Snow and her sister.

She couldn't hear them but she could see what they were doing, unlike him, she could hear her but had no idea what she looked like. By the way their lips moved, the way Serah tapped her finger on the coffee table she was teaching him new sounds. Next she watched as Serah softly clicked the coffee table and a second later explaining what the kick could possible mean.

It had been two months of silence. She could only act and watch. She was stuck in her own home for most of the week. Only ever going out to shop for what was needed in the home. She had no friends; she couldn't communicate with her former workmates like she once could. She spun around once more and noticed the microwave's timer was now flashing the words "END" over and over again.

She sighed and reached off to her meal before watching her sister once more.

At least that was something her hearing didn't change from her.

.XxX.

With his stick he was able to find his way to the important rooms of the house without the help of Serah. Going to the bathroom, kitchen and bedroom was now a breeze. Snow smiled that he was able to regain some of his old independence he once took for granted. Son he felt his body fall onto the tiles.

"Ouch." Snow rubbed his back. "Guess I'm still not use to this blind thing." He joked. "Hey Serah you alright?"

There was no response. Only the sound of feet standing up and picking up what sounded like envelops and paper.

"Guess I bumped into Lighting."

If Snow could roll his eyes, he would of.

From his memory Snow clasped his hands together in a prayer position. Communicating with a deaf person wasn't something Serah taught him yet. He heard what sounded like a jumbled version of a mutter and felt his hand begin grabbed and helped onto his two feet. Soon Snow felt a finger 'writing' on his palms.

"Letters?" Snow thought.

From what Snow could gather from Lightning's words Snow nearly laughed but kept it inside. He felt Lightning letting go of his hands and hearing her leaving the room.

"I'm never letting Serah go shopping next time while I'm around eh?" Snow laughed. "Funny girl Serah's sister is."

Little both of them knew that was the first time they communicated.

.XxX.

"Your not liking this are you?"

She didn't reply and fed another spoon of soup Serah had made for the both of them earlier.

"You don't have to abuse me Li-" Snow was interrupted once more when Lightning roughly spon fed Snow. "I don't enjoy this as much as you Lightning!" Snow sighed. Yelling wasn't going to bring them anywhere.

Sighing and nervous for the move he was about to play he touched Lightning's arm until her felt her hand. He grabbed her palm and wrote in her hand.

"I'm not going to hurt you like before. We aren't enemies anymore."

In a matter of seconds Lightning grabbed Snow's hand and wrote back her response.

"Then prove to me I can trust you."

Feeing confident and still holding Light's hand he placed it on his heart. Knowing she once could hear words Snow spoke and Lightning understood.

"I will."

.XxX.

"Do you know what this is Snow?" Serah watched as Snow used his hands to feel the object.

"Yeah, it's a laptop." He swiftly crossed his fingers across the keypad. "It feels a little bumpy though."

"It's because it's a special one for the blind. It has little dots on each key so you can understand which letter is which."

"Wow thanks Serah. If I could see where you were I would hug you." Both laughed.

"Wait there is one more thing I have to give you." Serah dug into her bag and pulled out another object and placed into Snow's hands. "Have a guess what it is."

Snow touched around the object to get a good idea of the size of the item Serah had given him. He smiled after he knew what it was.

"A phone. Wow, Serah this is really nice of you." Serah smiled.

"I know you want some of your old independence like you use to so I thought to get you some things made for you." Snow dropped the phone onto the coffee table and patted the sofa until he felt he was patting Serah's knee. Confident he patted on her knee.

"I'm fine. I can move around the house on my own while you're at school and I'm able to talk to your sister without getting smashed."

"You're talking to Lightning, how?" Serah asked surprised.

"We write to one another on each other's hands. Now that I have this laptop and phone maybe we can talk to each other a little easier." Snow raised his hand until he felt it was on Serah's cheek. "I can't wait to see you Serah."

She smiled and placed her hand on top. "I can't wait either."

And in the corner of her eyes Lightning watched with envy and worry.

.XxX.

"Hey, hey!" Snow spoke as he heard pots falling and crashing onto the kitchen tiles. "Is that you Light?" Snow asked. More pots crashed onto the floor. "I'll take that as a yes."

The blond reached out for his walking stick and found his way to the kitchen. Touching the chairs and then the kitchen top. Snow tapped the table until he reached her laptop and lifted it up and began to type. Three weeks had past and what came in Snow's mind was that maybe Lightning was tried to helping him like a child.

"Lightning is that you? Are you okay?"

Reaching for his hand seconds later Lightning was replying back to him,

"No. Tell me, are you dating my sister?"

Serah, who had become a close person to him never got, tried teaching him and it was hard to see how she was related to Lightning. Grabbing hold of her hand, their hands locked. After telling Serah he was able to communicate with Lightning she both taught them ways to speak and understand one another. Lightning, on the other hand didn't see the point of talking to Snow. Writing into a palm of another was a better way.

Snow began to lift his fingers, mostly one and a time or sometimes more. He made sure it was simple enough for both of them to understand.

"Why are you so upset about it?"

Taking her time, Lightning replied,

"I don't want to see my sister suffering because of you. She is already suffering enough with me."

"Is that why you refuse to let me help you? Talk to you more often? I may be blind Lightning but I once saw things. I know that you don't like what's happening. Even if I can't hear you."

"The only person I can trust is my sister, Serah."

Lightning removed her hands from Snow while trying to rub her red blushed face away. Snow returned to his laptop and continued their conversation there.

"After this time you still see me as your enemy?"

He waited for her to grab his hand and reply but nothing happened. Grabbing his stick and waving his free arm around he found Lightning still standing in the direction where she grabbed his hand earlier. He touched her faced softly before reaching for his laptop and typing with one of his hand.

"Let me in, trust me Lightning. Your important to me."

.XxX.

This only caused Light's face to light up even more.

She questioned when did he start playing an important part in his life. She shook her head and stormed off into her room. Slamming the door hard to make sure Snow would hear it. The words that Snow spoke to her only caused her more confusion. She reached out to the letter and re-read it once more before dropping it onto the ground once more. And walking out of her room like nothing happened. Snow was still standing there as if he knew she would come back.

He grabbed his hand and guided him onto the dinner table and sat him down. Next followed his laptop before grabbing a meal for the both of them. She placed the meal into the microwave before sitting beside Snow before greeted by another message from him.

"I'm sure it's not that hard to be friends with you right?"

Hesitant he felt her grabbing his hands and writing into it once more.

"I'll…give it a go."

"Now that's more like it."

.XxX.

Excitedly Serah wrote down the news on her notebook before showing her sister. Readjusting her hair she read what was on the paper. She waited for her sister's response, she watched Lightning write her response before pushing away her notebook away from her and returned drinking her coffee.

"Why shouldn't we bother? We can always try!" Serah yelled. Reading her sister's lips move she wrote her next response.

"Because it's only a waste of time."

"Is it wrong to have hope from time to time?" She saw Lighting sigh as she went to sign language to annoy her sister. It only showed her whenever she reverted to this style of communication it was to normally end the topic on what they were on about.

Keeping her pinkie and ring finger bent, leaving both her point and index finger and thumb open she made all three touch. Looking like a bird closing it's mouth. Light turned around and walking away from her sister her eyes locked on Snow who seemed to only woken up.

"I heard you yelling Serah? Something the matter?

"There is hospital, I think it's the same one your going to be in a week that is offering deaf people to be able to hear again. I thought Lightning would be happy to hear the news but she isn't."

"Hey Light? You around here still?" Snow asked by waving his arms around aimlessly in the air. "Talk to me."

Hearing the coffee mug slammed hard of the table showed she was in no mood to talk about the issue any longer their fingers intertwined and began to communicate with their fingers. Serah watched as both exchange messages in silence.

She never saw her sister warm up to somebody so quickly in a matter of four weeks. Her deafness seemed to teach her how to look and count on others more than when she could hear. Serah smiled as the two continued to share messages.

At least there was something good that came out of everything.

.XxX.

"Take it."

"What for? It's a waste of time and money."

"It's better to try and fail then doing nothing at all. Didn't Serah say something about a trial? Then if so, more reason to go ahead!"

"I can't hear idiot." Lightning paused before adding. "But if you and Serah think I should go, then fine. I will."

Excitedly Snow embraced Lightning. "Alright!" He pulled back. "When you can hear again we could get to know each other even more!" Lightning looked back at her sister who she saw laughing at the both of them softly. Moving her hands she spoke,

"If he is going to keep on acting like this, all childish then I'm not going for the operation. He seems annoying to listen too."

"You better stop begin annoying she says." Serah spoke to Snow. "She might not go for the operation." Snow stopped the embrace.

"Oh right." He sweat dropped. Blushing Lightning reached for Snow's hand once more and wrote in it.

"I didn't say you should stop hugging me." Blushing, Lightning left the scene with her coffee mug in her hands.

"Oh, r-right." Snow stuttered with a slight pink blush on her cheeks.

.XxX.

Lighting drummed her fingers against the windowsill, watching the time go by as a sudden gush of wind brushed her hair off her right shoulder. Light fixed the problem by brushing her hair over her shoulder once more and watched the cars many stories below her drive past. Refusing to dress in the operation gown Light remained in her usual attire of a white vest and brown skirt. In a matter of hours she would be able to hear again. A soft poke on her back made her turn her attention to the man in the middle of the room. He waved. He handed a notebook which she noticed whose writing it was.

Lightning continued to read as he made his way to sit beside her. Lighting looked and wrote into his palm.

"A walk? But you have a operation as well today."

With his phone Snow began to type.

"Only for fifteen minutes. Surely it can't harm your hearing."

"Fine." Light rolled her eyes before helping Snow to his feet. With their hands holding Lightning added. "But we have to communicate like this, with our fingers."

"You act like we haven't done this before."

"Not taking a walk together holding hands, yes."

.XxX.

Light rain had fallen over the garden. It was a place others would go after an operation but today it was a place both would walk around until their own operation. Both could smell the wet earth and the crushed leaves. It smelt fresh, relaxing and new. Following his nose Snow dragged his companion to a field of flowers. Snow asked if he was right and Lightning replied with a simple yes. Taking caution he picked a flower from the garden and held it where Light could take it out of his hands.

"You don't mind?"

"It's just odd. Nobody had given me a flowers before."

"Really?" Snow asked. "Not even Serah?"

"When we were children she did but after our parents passed away I guess she was too scared to or maybe she didn't think I would enjoy a simple rose here and there."

They sat on the wooden bench with millions of names craved into it. Snow could hear birds chirping from above him. He held Light's hand tight.

"Look above you."

Following Snow's words she glanced above her and saw a blue bird singing. She felt she could hear its chirps others took for granted.

"How did you know the bird was above us?"

"I can hear remember?"

"But I mean? How did you know it was right above us?" Lightning couldn't help but point up at the tree above them.

"I just can. Don't worry. You'll be able to listen to it's song soon enough."

Just distance from her Lightning saw tiny grasses catching the breeze, ferns leaned to the slightest breeze as the trees above them moved, some touching one another without speaking.

Just like them both.

Light looked at her hand that continued to hold onto Snow's tightly.

"And you'll be able to see this wonderful place as well." Snow smiled.

"Don't worry about that. I already know this garden is a wonderful place."

"How?" Lightning questioned.

"Because you brought me here." Snow sightly laughed at the cheesy line.

"How original Snow. How original."

Standing up, Snow began to walk while still holding Light's hand. At the centre of the garden was a water fountain, knowing what Snow was headed she took in charge and guided him there. He ran both of his hands into the water and smiled.

"Its funny that we can still talk to one another despite our conditions." Lightning looked at him in confusion. She wasn't able to understand fully his sentence and decided to shrug it off.

Snow shook his hands and moved his arms in the air until he felt Lightning's arm. He held it and made it way to her hand and began to talk to her. His fingers were shaking and at times trembling slightly. Lightning didn't understand what caused him to be so nervous all of a sudden.

And soon she got his message.

And she reacted by pushing him into the fountain.

"Ah, I knew that would happen." He shook his head quickly. "Ah, better find that cane. She most likely walked out of me again."

But that wasn't the case.

Snow heard another splash right beside him. The water made him even more wet telling him whatever fell in the fountain was a heavy object. Snow felt Goosebumps cover his arms when he felt fingers moving up towards his arms and onto his face. He had some idea the person was teasing him.

Fixing his confusion he felt someone talking to him by writing into his palm.

"Snow Villiers. I believe I feel the same towards you to."

"Gees, what's with the fancy language?" He laughed and smiled.

And Snow knew inside she was smiling.

And he was right.

.XxX.

After watching her sister explaining to the doctor why her and Snow went for a simple garden walk she looked at the mirror. In a matter of hours she would be able to hear once more. She glanced to her right and saw that soon Snow would see her as well. She began to wonder if she lived up to Snow's expectation or if anything would change between them both. Soon she felt Snow's hands patting her face, to feel her expression.

He knew she was worried. He could tell by the silence when both of them walked back to her room. She didn't communicate a single word to him. He smiled to give her confidence. Snow soon made his hand touch with hers and wrote,

"Everything will be fine. Stay strong."

"I will, you taught me that, stay strong. No doubts should be in my mind right now."

"Make sure you'll be there when I open my eyes. I want you there and Serah by my side. You guys are like my family now." Lightning smiled.

"Of course."

.XxX.

Serah never saw her sister hold onto her hand so tight before losing conscience. The medicine soon entered her blood causing her, without choice, to let go of her sister's hand. Serah never thought she would be the one guiding her sister to an operation, holding her hand instead of hers. It felt odd, Serah felt like they should swap places because Lightning was the stronger one, tougher, meaner and more responsible. Not her at all.

.XxX.

Hours of waiting Lightning finally woke up. Looking around she saw nothing with her eyesight had changed.

Slowly things she use to remember came in her ears, to Lightning she felt like she was listening to a foreign language but she was able to listen once more, she knew there was no reason to complain. She watched Serah's lips moved, trying to speak but nothing but jumbled words came out. Serah embraced and held Lightning tightly and even felt tears coming from her. She rubbed her sister's back to calm her down.

"I'm happy. I really am." Serah spoke softly. "Doc said you couldn't be exposed to too many sounds too quickly."

Lightning smiled and patted her sister's cheek and smiled. It didn't bother her. She was finally able to listen to her sister once more. With her hands she began to speak with her hands. She could finally hear her stories of her wanting to go to university and the friends she would make. Finally life was back on track for them both.

"Take me to him. I made a promise to see him."

Serah nodded and held her sister's hand and both began their way.

.XxX.

Both sisters watched as both a doctor and a nurse worked side by side to get their job done. The nurse slowly lifted Snow's body until he could sit up on his own. Afterwards they made their way to the bandage wrapped around his eyes. To both it felt like the bandages would never end.

And eventually it did.

The nurse called his name multiple times as the doctor slowly moved his hand up and down in front of his eyes. Then he asked for him to blink, which he did. More questions followed. The nurse wrote more notes down onto her pad as Lightning walked her way to the man. She waved to him and he turned.

"Hey there, Lightning!" He greeted in his usual cheery self. "That's you right?" Lightning could do nothing but nod.

His slight was blurry and everything just seemed too bright for him, being left alone in the darkness for nearly a year felt like forever for Snow. And Snow couldn't stop smiling with joy when they greeted him with hope he could see again. He never knew that person that would greet him with his new sight would be Lightning.

Asking paper and pen from the nurse Lightning began to write since she could not speak a single word.

"How did you know I was Lightning and not Serah?"

Snow smirked and replied.

"Heroes can just tell."

Lightning waited for the doctor and his nurse to leave before sitting on the edge of the mattress, patting the spare space beside to invite her sister to join them. With a giant smile Serah agreed. Lightning fixed her eyes outside and was able to hear soft chirps from the birds passing them by. Tossing her left arm over her sister's shoulder and holding Snow's hand she smiled.

They had finally reached a goal that they thought was impossible.

"Anyone can break through any barrier with hope, determination and belief. To reach that goal you must and with the help the closest people in my life I could reach that goal."

Crying a few tears Lightning spoke to Snow with their hands.

"Thank you." Looking at Snow warmly. "Thank you."

And inside Snow understood clearly. He held her hand tight and replied.

"You're welcome."